Computing measuring-cabinet.



N0. 696,564. Patented Apr. I, i902.

E. HUBNADAYQ COMPUTING MEASURING CABINET.

(Application filed A rlze. 1901.)

(No Model.)

llwrTEn dTaTEs PATENT UEETTJE.

EDSON IIORNADAY, OF OOLFAX, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-FIFTHS TO GEORGE 1V.SHANAFELT, OF OOLFAX, IOWA.

COMPUTING MEASURING CABINET.

SPECIFIOATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,564, dated April 1,1902. Application filed April 26, 1901. Serial No. 57,626. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDSON HORNADAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Colfax, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in ComputingMeasuring-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of measuring-cabinets designed tocontain a quantity of coffee or the like and to be operated to dischargecertain portions of predetermined measure from the machine whenoperated.

My object is to provide a machine of this class ofsimple, durable, andinexpensive construction in which the capacity of the measuring-chambermay be quickly and easily and accurately adjusted to measure any certainpredetermined quantity; and my object is, further, to provide improvedmeans for dis charging this measured quantity of colt'ee or the likequickly and easily.

A further object is to provide simple inexpensive means whereby themonetary value of the substance in the measuring-chamber may be quicklyascertained, so that a com puting measuring-cabinet is provided. Morespecifically in this connection it is my object to provide a detachablescale having pricemarks thereon to be secured to the machineframe andalso to provide a sliding partition in the measuring-chamber of themachine,-

said partition having an indicating-finger thereon designed to assume aposition close to the scale, whereby the indicating-finger will be madeto point to the price-mark upon the scale corresponding to the capacityof the measuring-chamber.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the complete device in perspective.Fig. 2 shows a vertical longitudinal sectional view through themeasuringchamber and adjacent parts. Fig. 3 shows a vertical transversesectional view of the same. 1 shows in perspective the frame of amoasuring-chamber with its handle attached thereto. Fig. 5 showsinperspective the adjustable partition to be placed in themeasuring-chamber,also showing in position thereon the indicating-fingerand the clamping device; and Fig. 6 shows in perspective the means forclamping the movable partition in the measuring-chamber.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used thereference-numeral 10 to indieate the machine-frame. At the top of themachine-frame is a hinged cover 11 and near the central portion is ahorizontal partition 12, having the opening 13 near its forward edge. Aninclined bottom 14: is provided for the interior of the frame andextends from the sides and back to a point adjacent to the opening 13.The front of the frame is covered by glass, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.At some distance beneath the partition 12 is a second horizontalpartition 15, having an opening 16 near one end and out of alinementwith the opening 13. A chute 17is fixed to the under surface of thepartition to discharge forwardly and downwardly.

Within the space between the partitions 12 and 15 I have mounted ameasuring-chamber 18, open at its top and bottom and of a length capableof extending from one edge of the opening 13 to the opposite side of thecabinet. In height and width the measuring-chamber is designed toaccurately fit between the partitions 12 and 15. A handle 19 is fixed tosaid measuring-chamber and projected through a horizontal slot 20 in thefront of the machineframe, by which it is obvious that themeasuring-chamber may be manually moved 1ongitudinally within themachine-frame and beneath the hopper.

At one end of the measuring-chamber is a thin horizontal strip 21,placed some distance beneath the top of the side pieces of said chamber.

The numeral 22 indicates a cross-strip secured to the under surface ofthe partition 12, at one side of the opening 13 therein.

Mounted within the measuring-chamber 18 is an adjustable partitioncomprising the parallel sides 23, the vertical dimensions of which aresuch that the said partition may freely slide under the cross-piece 22.Between the side pieces 23 is a solid top 24, and at one end is the endpiece 25, to which a flexible strip 26 is attached, which strip projectsupwardly beyond the top of the end piece 25. This strip 26 readily bendsover horizontally when the end piece 25 is moved to the right, so as topass under the strip 22 and prevent the contents of the hopper frompassing between the partition 25 and the strip 22. This partition isconsiderably shorter than the interior of the chamber 18, and hence mayreadily slide longitudinally therein. Obviously the size of themeasuring-chamber will vary according to the position of said partition.

I have provided means for clamping the partition to any desirableposition within the measuring-chamber,as follows: The numeral 27 is usedto indicate a collar having a fiat surface on its edge, which collar isseated on the inner surface of one of the side pieces 23, where it issecurely fixed in position. On the inner face of the collar 27 is acam-surface 28. A rod 29 is passed through the collar 27, and a pin 30011 said rod is designed to engage the cam-surface 28. Obviously whenthe said rod is turned the pin 30 will engage the cam in such manner asto move the rod through the collar alimited distance. This rod isdesigned to pass through a longitudinal slot 31 in the front of themeasuringchamber 18, and on the front surface ofthis' measuring-chamberis a plate 32, having a notch 33 therein, said plate being firmlysecured to the rod 29. This rod 29 also projects some distance throughthe slot 20, and on its outer end are the wings 34, by which it may bereadily turned. I have also fixed to the movable partition 23 anindicatingfinger 35, which finger projects straight outwardly throughthe slots 31 and 20 and then inclines straight upwardly, terminating ina point. Mounted upon the front of the machine-frame is a metalscale-plate 36, having the slots 37in its ends, through which the screws38 are passed. Obviously the scaleplate may be readily detached bybending it outwardly in its central portion far enough for one of thescrew-heads to clear from one of the notches, whereupon the plate may bedetached. This plate is in position adjacent to the indicating-finger35.

In practical use and assuming the hopper to be filled with coffee or thelike and assuming, further, that the price at which the coffee is to besold is twenty cents per pound, the operator places a scale-plate uponthe machineframe bearing indicating-numerals ranging from 1 to 20, andthe length of the plate from the first mark to the last is the same asthe distance between the inner end of the measuring-chamber and the endpiece 25, when the space in. the measuringchamber will hold exactly onepound of coffee. Assuming, then, that it is desired to deliver. tencentsworth of cofiee, the operator holds the handle 19 with one end to itslimit of movement to the left, as determined by the slot 20,

which is so arranged that the end of the measuring-chamber will then bedirectly under the opening 13, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the wings on therod 29 are turned until the pin 30 lies against the shoulder of the cam28, thereby permitting the partition to be moved freely in themeasuring-chamber. The partition is then moved by means of the rod 29until the indicating-finger reaches the point marked 1O upon the scale.Then the Wings 34 are turned until the pin 30 is wedged against thecam-surface in such manner as to hold the partition rigidly in positionwithin the measuring-chamber. When this is done,obvionsly themeasuring'chamber will be filled with coffee through the opening 13, andon account of the strip 26 none of the coffee can pass between thepartition and the cross-piece 22. If the opening between the parts 18and 25 is of the degree shown in Fig. 2, the flexible strip 26 willprevent the passage of the hopper contents between the part 2a and thecross-piece 22, and if. the part 25 is moved farther to the right thestrip 26 will be folded over by the cross-piece 22 and will pass underthe said cross-piece 22 and prevent the contents of the hopper frompassing between the parts 2% and 25. Then the operator moves the entiremeasuring-chamber by means of the handle 19 to the left side of themachine, whereupon the measuring-chamber will stand directly over theopening 16 and the measuring-chamber will be discharged through thechute 17. Obviously the solid top on the partition and the thin strip 21will prevent grain from entering the other chamber back of the end piece25 and will prevent any grain from passing through the opening 13 untilthe measuring-chamber is again moved to position under the said opening.It is obvious that by this means the amount to be given for any sum ofmoney is automatically computed by the indicating-finger and scale, andall that the operator need do is to manipulate the rod 27 in order toset the machine to discharge any given quantity of coffee at a time, andafter the partition is thus set the amount determined upon may bewithdrawn from the hopper through the chute quickly and easily by simplymoving the handle 19 from one limit of its movement to the other.

Having thus described my invention,what Iclaim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

1. An improved measuring-cabinet,comprising a hopper having an openingin its bottom, a horizontal partition some distance beneath the hopperand. having an opening out of vertical alinement with the opening in thehopper, a measuring-chamber open at its top and bottom and slidinglymounted between the hopper and partition, a sliding vertical partitionin the measuring-chamber, means for adjustably securing said slidingpartition in position relative to the measuring-chamber, anindicating-finger fixed to the adjust-' able partition, and ascale-plate fixed to the machine-frame adjacent to the said finger forthe purposes stated.

2. An improved measuring-cabinet, comprising a hopper having an openingin its bottom, a horizontal partition some distance beneath the hopperand having an opening out of vertical alinement with the opening in thehopper, a measuring-chamber open at its top and bottom and slidinglymounted between the hopper and partition and having a longitudinal slotin one side a tition in the measuring-chamber having an end, top, andside piece, said side piece being designed to cover the slot in themeasuring-chamber, an indicating-finger fixedto the sliding partitionand projecting through said slot in the measuring-chamber, means for adjusting the vertical partition relative to the measuring-chamber, and ascale-plate fixed to the machine-frame to assume a position adjacent tothe indicating-finger for the purposes stated.

3. An improved measuring-cabinet, comprising a hopper having an openingin its bottom, a horizontal partition some distance be neath the hopperand having an opening out of vertical alinement with the opening in thehopper, a measuring-chamber open at its top and bottom and slidinglymounted between the hopper and partition and having a longitudinal slotin one side, a handle fixed to the same side, a strip 21 in themeasuring-chamher, an adjustable partition in the measuring-chambercomprising a top, end, and sides,

said top being designed to pass under the strip 21, an indicating-fingerfixed to the side of the adjustable partition and passed through theslot in the measuring-chamber, a clampthe vertical parti ing deviceconnected with sliding vertical partion and passed through the slot inthe measuring-chamber and capable of providing a handle by which theVertical partition may be moved and also providing means for clampingthe vertical partitionto the measuringchamber, and a scale-plate havingslots in its ends and screws passed through said slots into the body ofthe cabinet whereby the scaleplate may be detachably and adj ustablyconnected with the said body portion, substantially as and for thepurposes stated.

i. An improved measuring-cabinet, comprising a hopper, a horizontalpartition beneath the hopper, having an opening therein communicatingwith the hopper, a second horizontal partition some distance beneath thefirst, and having an opening out of alinement with the opening in thefirst partition, a measuring-chamber open at its top and bottom andslidingly mounted between said partitions, said measuring-chamberhavinga horizontal slot in one side, a strip 21 mounted between the sides ofthe measuring-chamher near its outer end, a handle 19 secured to themeasuring-chamber, a partition comprising the sides 23, top 24, and end25, said end having a flexible strip, 26 thereon, an indicator fixed tothe sliding partition and passed through the slot in themeasuring-chamber, means for securely clamping the partition to themeasuring-chamber, and a detachable scale-plate on the machine-frameadjacent to the said indicator, arranged and combined substantially inthe manner set forth and for the purposes stated.

EDSON HORNADAY,

Witnesses: J. RALPH ORWIG,

THOMAS G. ORWIG.

